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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. H. REYNOLDS. I

SAFETY GATE FOR BRIDGES.

No. 437,937. Patented Oct. '7, 1890.

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WITNESSES (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet H. H. REYNOLDS.

SAFETY GATE FOR BRIDGES.

Patented Oct. 7, 1890.

WITNESSES elm" [NYE/V705? I mea er We W? f *UNiTEED STATES ATENT FFICE.

HUMPHREY H. REYNOLDS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF.

' TO JAMES H. TORNEY, OF SAME PLACE.

SAFETY-GATE FOR BRIDGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,937, dated October '7, 1890.

' Application filed May 24, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUMPHREY H. REYN- OLDs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Gates for Bridges; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains To make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

' This invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety gates for drawbridges; and it consists in a certain construction and arrangement of parts whereby the safety-gates at the approaches of the bridge may be lowered before the draw-section begins to swing to open the bridge, and raised by said section as it again swings into position in closing the bridge, all of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and the essential features of the device pointed out particularly in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through the aproach and a portion of the swing-section of the bridge, showing the relative position of parts when the bridge is closed and the safetygate raised. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the approach of thebrid ge,lookin g from the swin gsection, showing the gate down and the mechanism for operating it. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of one end of the swing-section of the bridge, showing the segment-rack and its sliding frame secured to the under face thereof.

Referring to the letters of reference, A indicates the swing-section of the bridge,which is pivotally mounted on the pier \V and adapted to swing horizontally to permit of the passage of boats, as is well understood. Said swing-section is provided, at each end with an approach B, supported on the abutment N, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The approach at each end of the bridge is provided with a safety-gate consisting of the gotwo uprights L L,located on each side of the Serial No. 353,031. (No model.)

The bar M is supported and operated by the. cables it, that are attached thereto, as shown at o, and pass over the sheaves P P,

located between the uprights L at 'the top, through the ends of said bar, as shown at 1', over the sheaves P P, located between the uprights L at the base below the roadway, thence to the drum H, to which they are secured, and on which they are adapted to be wound, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The drum H is mounted on the shaft b, secured in the journal-bearings 0, the outer end of said shaft carrying the gear-wheel I, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

At each end of the swing-section A of the bridge and to the under face thereof is secured a sliding frame composed of the horizontal bars 0, O, and D, said frame being held in place by the transverse guide-rails E, E, and F, that are bolted to the under face of the bridge, and through which the bars of said frame are adapted to slide.

The curved rack K is secured to the outer ends of the bars 0, O, and D of the sliding frame and travel therewith, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, said rack being adapted to engage with the gear-wheelI as the section A swings into position to close the bridge, thereby revolving said gear and winding the cables t 75 onto the drum H, thus raising the safety-gate M, as shown in Fig. 1.

Secured to the outer end of the center bar D, or formed integral therewith, is a lock-bolt cl, that extends beyond the end of the swing- 0 section, and is adapted to engage with the springs s on the outer end of the approach B by pressing upward the free end of one of said springs with which the bolt d engages as the bridge is closing until said bolt passes the free end of said spring, when the spring will draw down and secure said bolt between the upturned ends of the springs s for the purpose of locking the swing-section of the bridge when closed.

The frame composed of the bars 0, C, and D, and on which the rack K is mounted, is moved horizontally by means of the head G, that is pivoted in the floor of the bridge A, the depending arm a of which extends into an eye e in the inner end of the bar D, said head being provided in its upper face with an opening 0 for the reception of the end of a lever, by means of which the head may be rocked or actuated. As the head G is rocked, the stroke of the arm a draws the bar D and slides the rack K. The stop-blocks f f, bolted to the face of the bars 0 0 between the guides E E, regulate the throw of the frame to which the rack is secured. (See Fig. 3.)

The operation of the device is as follows: The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which the bridge is closed and the safetygate raised permitting a free passage across the bridge, the bolt d, being in engagement with the springs 8, locking the swing-section in place, and the rack K, engaging the gearwheel I, retains the gate in its elevated position. When desiring to swing the section A to'permit of the passage of a boat, a lever is inserted in the opening 0 of the head G, and said lever thrown to the left, oscillating said head and sliding horizontally the bars 0 and D, thus drawing the bolt cl from engagement with the springs s and unlocking the section A, so that it may swing, and at the same time withdrawing the rack K from contact with the gear-wheel I, releasing said wheel, when the weight of the bar or gate M will cause it to fall to the position shown in Fig. 2, extending across the central roadway and the foot: walks on each side, preventing foot-passengers, as well as vehicles, from going off of the open end of thebridge or approach. The section A is then swung to open the bridge. As the bridge starts to close, the head G is oscillated to the right by means of a lever, as before described, thereby sliding the rack K v out so as to register with the gear-wheel I,

and extending the bolt 01, so that as thebridge swings into position the rack will engage with the wheel I, causing it to revolve and wind the cables 25 t on the drum H, thus elevating the gate, and the bolt d will engage with the spring-catches sand lock the bridge. It Will be seen that the arrangement of parts is such that a revolution of the wheel I in either direction will wind the cables 25 ton the drum H and elevate the gate, so that it does not matter in which direction the bridge is swinging the action of the rack on the gear I will raise the gate as the bridge closes.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what] claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a safety-gate for bridges, the combination, with the approaches having the vertical uprights and the gate adapted to rise and fall between said uprights, of the mechanism mounted on the approach for raising the gate, the springs mounted on the approach, the swinging bridge-section, the rack slidingly mounted thereon, said rack having the bolt d, the sliding rod D, having engagement at one end with the rack, and the head Jr, said head being pivoted at the center of the bridge, its arm having engagement with the bar D, for the purposes specified.

2. In a safety-gate for bridges, the combination, with the approach having the vertical uprights, the gate proper adapted to rise and fall between said uprights, of the mechanism mounted on said approach for raising said gate, the springs s, mounted on said approach, the swinging bridge-section, and the rack slidingly mounted thereon, said rack having the projection d, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUMPHREY H. REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

E. S. WHEELER, R. B. WHEELER. 

